Ancient Order of the Phoenix  The Lost Heir
by woodlark
Summary: Harry Potter was a born Phoenix hybrid rescued from the doorstep of the Dursleys, unbeknownst to the rest of the Wizarding World. When he turns eleven and returns for his first year at Hogwarts, new challenges, including love and other tragedies, arise.
1. Chapter 1

Hagrid was struggling to keep his vision clear and focus on the night sky ahead, wiping his salty tears on the grubby jacket he was wearing. The Potters were dead. _Dead._ Well, James and Lily Potter were dead. Killed by the Dark Lord that had haunted them all for years. But their little boy, little Harry Potter, had survived.

And the Dark Lord had not.

Harry Potter, the tiny bundle sleeping soundly next to him on his godfather's motorbike, had been the first person in wizarding history to survive the Killing Curse, and he couldn't even count his toes. But at what price? The boy would never know his parents, never know their love and kindness that they had shown him since he was born. Hagrid had to wipe his eyes furiously once again.

Looking down below, he saw his destination and maneuvered the motorbike down onto Privet Drive, where Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore stood talking. Hagrid carried the bundle over to Dumbledore before kissing him sloppily on the forehead and talking with the witch and wizard. Little Harry slept on through it all, even his deposit on the doorstep of Number Four. And as Dumbledore returned the light to the streetlamps and Apparated away, Harry Potter rolled over in his sleep and cooed.

Morning was just dawning on the second November day of the year, and Harry was awakening outside in a strange place, on a doorstep of all things. He knew this was unusual, but he did not go with the typical baby response of crying. His mother had always sung this song to him when he cried, and so the small child began to hum the notes of the song, remembering the words but not being able to say them.

_Precious child of the sky,_

_There's no need for you to cry._

_Spread your wings amongst the rye,_

_And through the air you shall fly._

Over and over again, the child hummed the tune as the night bled into the day. He watched the sky with keen interest, as many things flew overhead. Planes, birds, and ever hot air balloons galloped across the early morning orange and held his attention as he soothed himself with his song. Soon, he was smiling at the warm thoughts of his mother, who must be coming to get him soon. He was so far in his daydream, he didn't notice the man and woman strolling down the street in strange clothing.

The pair were about five feet tall and were plainly walking down the middle of Privet Drive. Well, walking wouldn't quite cover what they were doing, which appeared to be a frantic search. The man, who was shirtless and wore tattered jeans that came to his shins covered in chains, was jumping from driveway to driveway and listening to the ground before moving on to the next. The woman wore a shirt that appeared to be more like a corset that covered only her upper chest, leaving her midriff bare, and shorts that covered to her knees. Both of them were covered in strange markings, black tattoos that covered their chests and weaved intricately over their torsos, crawled up their necks and framed their eyes, forming an empty circle in the center of their forehead. The woman was clearly appalled by the man's behavior.

"Sefu, what _are _you doing?" The man, Sefu, stood up and rolled his eyes before returning to his mission.

"Well, excuse _me_, Ramla, but I actually CARE about finding this guy! You know what Jahi said about him! He could be the Distant One!" Irritated, the man threw his hands up and walked about the street once again, stopping and listening every once and awhile.

"Or it could be just another children's joke! Jahi takes everything too seriously. Khaldun wouldn't have sent amateurs out if it was truly as important as the Heir, so this isn't him! If it was, I bet a hundred Galleons I could find him on my first try!" Smirking, Ramla twirled her dark hair around her finger with a challenging look on her face. Sending back a sly look, Sefu crossed his arms and faced her.

"I'll take that bet! You get one shot. Where is he?" Smiling wickedly, the woman closed her eyes and concentrated, a serious look coming over her face. A previously unnoticed charm around her neck glowed a hot amber color. The charm appeared to be a tiny flame flickering encased in ice, a single golden-red feather attached to the silver chain. The flame grew and devoured the ice, touching her skin and not burning it in the slightest. The feather seemed to glow with the flame, and the fire threatened to engulf the chain, burning hotly around her neck-

Suddenly, the fire died down, returning to a single flame as the ice reformed around it, the feather swaying in the wind gently. Ramla's smile just erupted into giggles, as she skipped past a skeptical Sefu and down the street. She passed Number 10, Number 8, and Number 6 without a second glance, but stopped dead at Number 4, Privet Drive. She had found the source, and fist pumped. Running up to the doorstep, she nearly tripped over a sack of rags on the stoop. Actually, now that she was looking, it looked like a bundle of blankets…

Reaching down and picking up the bundle, she almost dropped it again when it squirmed, revealing the face of an adorable child who was humming. Humming the song that brought them here. Looking into his emerald eyes, she put words to the tune.

_Precious child of the sky,_

_There's no need for you to cry._

_Spread your wings amongst the rye,_

_And through the air you shall fly._

She had grown up hearing this lullaby! The song of the Distant One! The sound, the beautiful song that had brought all the mentors into a frenzy was being made by this child, this abandoned child left on a doorstep.

Sefu had come up behind her and was in awe as well, looking at this baby and reaching out for him. Ramla couldn't let him go, she was in shock. Noticing this, Sefu wrapped his arms around her and the nameless child that could save them all, and in a burst of flame, they were gone.

"You _deliberately _disobeyedme and almost revealed yourselves! You pranced around in broad daylight without a disguise and used magic in the _open! _What am I supposed to tell Khaldun? I assured him that my two apprentices could handle a small sector of the search, and what do you do? Almost blow the whole Nest out of the water! We are the most sacred and Unplottable group the Wizarding World has ever seen, and-"

"With that honor comes great responsibility. We must uphold the Code and keep our sights set on our ultimate goal: to balance good and evil and to protect the innocent. We _know_, Jahi, you've told us a trillion times," Sefu deadpanned, crossing his arms and pouting. His and Ramla's mentor, Jahi, would never lay off them. He was big on rules, and Sefu and Ramla…weren't, to say the least.

"You say this, but I don't think you _do_ understand!" Jahi exclaimed, blowing his top once again. "You two are only thirteen years old, barely old enough to be apprentices, and you've already broken important rules that keep us hidden!"

"Jahi," Ramla said exasperatedly, "it wasn't that big of a deal! I didn't even use that much magic! I just focused my energy and my charm reacted slightly! No one was up in that forsaken neighborhood, anyway! No one saw anything! And we got the child! We should be heroes!" Jahi just face-palmed.

"Did they not tell you what they found? The child bears no markings of a Phoenix like the other _bennu _children do, nor does he seem to have any parents within the Nest. We don't have any idea who or _what_ he is," Jahi said tiredly. "These searches are yielding less and less results. It appears we are now picking up mortal children-"

"Actually, Jahi, we have found something." A new man entered Jahi's den. He was six feet tall and appeared to have the face and body of a fit twenty year old, despite being over hundreds of years old. His clothing spoke of subtle royalty, robes made of fine silk but the same red color as everyone else. His tattoos are what differed, being more intricate than the others of the Nest, and covering his arms, legs, back, and entire body. Where the others had a circle with a dot in the center on their foreheads that marked their adulthood, the apprentices had an empty circle, and the _bennu_ children had a single dot, he had a solid one, marking him as the leader of the Nest. This was Khaldun.

Khaldun's interaction with the others was strange. Though being royalty, he was the exact opposite of unapproachable. He opened his arms and Sefu and Ramla moved to embrace him tightly like a child would to his parents. Jahi smiled and laughed, moving to shake hands with Khaldun, who radiated an aura of love and kindness.

"Have you? What have you uncovered?" Jahi asked, excited. Khaldun smiled and motioned for them to move out of the den and into the infirmary across the forest where they housed the Nest. He opened the door for the three, and Jahi ushered his apprentices inside. The large room held many healers which were currently all watching the small child seated on the table in the center.

Observing the baby more closely, Ramla and Sefu noticed that he was skinnier than most his age, and more petite. He had to be at least a year old and he was barely two feet tall. He was sitting on the table with the biggest smile on his face, and he was looking directly at Khaldun with those mesmerizing green eyes. Khaldun walked over to the child and sat down next to him, opening his arms. Immediately, the child giggled and crawled over to him, causing all in the room to laugh as well. Holding the child gently, Khaldun turned to Jahi and his apprentices and approached them.

"So you two are the one who found him?" He asked, looking at Sefu and Ramla.

"Actually, it was all Ramla. She found him on a doorstep all alone," Sefu said, eyes locked on the child. The child looked back and giggled, reaching out for him. Sefu smiled and looked to the Leader of the Clan to see if it was okay, and seeing encouragement there, he grabbed the child from his arms and balanced him on his hip. Seemingly entranced by the feathers woven into Sefu's dark hair, he reached up and began to idly play with them, the ever-present smile never fading.

"This child is Harry Potter, the one surviving Potter from the attack on Halloween night made by Voldemort that the entire Wizarding world is currently up in arms about. From what information we have gathered, the Dursleys, who reside at Number 4 Privet Drive, are Harry's only living family, and as such, was given to them to care for. However, Petunia Dursley nee Evans was a Squib, and therefore very likely to do whatever possible to hide and ruin Harry's existence. Albus Dumbledore was the one who left Harry on the Dursley's stoop after being attacked by the Dark Lord, with good intentions, of course, but there is no way we can leave him with those people. As for how he knows the Song, we don't know, as the Potters nor the Evans have ever been involved in the Nest. But as he is a wizard, we examined his magical core and found a block. We've never seen this before, but if we are right in this assumption, little Harry Potter is the Heir. He is Ziz's descendent." Gasps were heard around the room, and healers dropped bottles. People outside stopped in their tracks, and everyone held their breath.

"You can't be serious. This child wasn't even born into the Nest. He's not a born Phoenix, how can he be the one destined to take Ziz's place in keeping eternal balance and protecting everyone and everything? This is impossible!" Jahi was hysterical, gesticulating wildly and eyes popping out of his head. Khaldun laughed, and reached for Harry once again.

"This child's core has been tampered with. By who, I do not know. For what reason is also unclear. But it is likely that whoever did this did not want Harry to come to us. However, it is known that we must remove this block from Harry's magical core and unlock his true core before the wall permanently severs his power." Turning to the Head Healer, Khaldun passed a still happy Harry to him. "Prepare for a ritual in the Heart Nest. We have to do this as a Clan."

About one hundred adults were gathered in a large circle around Khaldun, one hundred pairs of eyes on a small giggling child and one hundred smiles on their faces. Khaldun had waited for this day for many years, the day when his Clan would rejoice at the return of their Guardian, their Heir, and to be strong once again. Raising his hand, he caught the attention of everyone present and all the quiet chatter had stopped. He could clearly see the _bennu_ in the corners, watching intently and shoving each other playfully.

"I'd like to say a few words before we start. This child, Harry Potter, could be the one we've been waiting for. But a serious problem we may have is that to the rest of the Wizarding world, Harry Potter is missing. He is not with the Dursley's, his only remaining family, like he should be. No one knows where he is exactly. And they must not know. Harry has a right to know of his past, and we will make sure he knows everything, but the rest of the Wizarding world can't know where he is until he is of age to return to their world. But for now, let us welcome our Heir home!" Cheers could be heard among the crowd, and laughter was erupting everywhere. Khaldun smiled and set Harry down in the center of the circle, taking his place at the head. Everyone grasped hands and closed their eyes. Khaldun's tattoos began to glow a golden color as he focused his magic, and his charm erupted into flames like Ramla's had done before. The fire and golden color flowed amongst the crowd's tattoos as well through their grasped hands, forming a ring of golden fire and a wall of impenetrable magic. The _bennu_ outside the wall stumbled back in awe, and watched as the fire rose to form a thick column of flame.

Inside, baby Harry was watching, unafraid. He felt at home here, in this fire. It was like the warmth of his mother and father, their love. He closed his eyes and as he thought of his parents, he began to hum his song again, and this time, everyone heard the words.

_Precious child of the sky,_

_There's no need for you to cry._

_Spread your wings amongst the rye,_

_And through the air you shall fly._

As he sung, everyone watched as the fire was drawn to him, covering him and embracing him, dancing on his skin in fantastic patterns. The fire seeped through his skin and into his blood, igniting his magic and power and turning his emerald irises a golden color unseen before. The gold bled from his eyes to his face, chest, arms, and legs. His tiny body was covered in golden threads of his magic, imprinting his skin. The fire reached his core and found the block, ramming against it. Harry's power flared, spiking the flames and causing them to deepen into a redder color. The fire hit the block again, weakening it as more of Harry's true power seeped out, darkening the flames to a violet color. Finally, the internal flame ripped away the block and the flames turned a bright blue color, swirling and dancing to Harry's song. Suddenly, Harry stopped singing, the rush of power having knocked him unconscious. The flames still surged on even as the others reeled their own magic in. Harry couldn't control his own magic, and it ran rampant before the combined efforts of the Clan could push it back into his body.

When everything had calmed down, Khaldun stood up and walked over to the sleeping Harry while the rest of the Clan talked about the immense rush of power with a gleam of excitement in their eyes. Smiling, Khaldun picked the child up and appraised his new tattoos, which, unlike everyone else's black ones, were a golden color on his skin even when he wasn't using his magic. The aura around Harry seemed to pulse with power and magic and happiness. Laughing to himself, Khaldun placed the child's head on his chest and walked to Sefu, Ramla, and Jahi.

"These two apprentices, Sefu and Ramla, as well as their mentor, Jahi, have found the Heir, the Distant One. They have reunited our Clan. The Ancient Order of the Phoenix is whole once again!" As he said this, all the people in the Nest, all the members of this secret and mythical Clan released their wings from their backs and hollered in joy. Children ran about, jubilant and flipping in the air. Khaldun handed the child to Sefu and hugged both him and Ramla before taking a thunderstruck Jahi away to his den in the Nest for a chat.

Sefu and Ramla both held the child everyone wanted to kiss and welcome to the Clan. Looking down at the innocent baby they had just a day ago found abandoned on a doorstep to live in a hellish house where he was hated, they wished him all the love in the world, and knew he would find it within the Clan.

Suddenly, Ramla turned to Sefu and smirked wickedly.

"Don't you owe me Galleons?"

_hey guys! i own the phoenix song, but nothing else. i'm just a fan xD maybe when i'm done with the story, i'll record the song for you guys to hear…? read and review, if you wouldn't mind!_


	2. Chapter 2

Harry hurriedly raked a brush through his untamable hair while simultaneously trying to memorize a list of carefully thought out answers for his evaluation. Hopping away to his dresser while putting socks on, he threw open the drawer and shoved his least dirty tank top on top of his signature raggedy shorts. He had planned on looking nice today, but the washer had broken down again and that awful grass stain hadn't come out of his good shirt. Double checking to make sure he had everything, he groaned when he realized that his hair was more of a ridiculous mess than usual. He hadn't cut it in forever, not since Sefu had sliced off a good six inches in sword training when he wasn't paying attention, so it was a little longer than shoulder length. Sighing, Harry just bunched it into a pony tail and ran down the stairs.

"Good morning, Harry! Happy eleventh birthday!" Ramla and Sefu said together, presenting a plate of pancakes to him. Harry smiled widely, hugging them both and taking the plate to the table before gobbling down the delicious food. Ramla and Sefu came to sit at the table with him, noticing as he fiddled with the charm hanging around his neck like he did when he was nervous.

"You'll do great today, you know that, don't you? This'll be a piece of cake," Sefu assured, waving his hand as Harry looked up and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, yeah, easy! Just go up to the Leader of the Clan and answer all his questions! Don't forget anything you've learned since you were six and you should be fine!" Harry ranted exasperatedly. "I just _know_ I'm going to forget something. And I know Khaldun is really nice, but he always looks at me different! And I know I _am_ different, because I wasn't born here, and that's why I know I'm going to fail because no one like me has ever passed the evaluation before and this is going to be _awful-_"

"Harry, hun, you're rambling. Calm down!" Ramla said, patting Harry's hand. "We know you have a lot of questions, and today they're going to all be answered. You will be fine, I know you will. Have faith in yourself!"

"I just want to know why he picked me to make a Phoenix. I'm nothing special. Nothing special at all! Even my charm is different!" Harry cried, holding up the charm, which had the smallest conceivable fire ever known to man in the thickest casing of ice. He'd grown up with Ramla and Sefu watching over him like the parents he couldn't remember, always telling him that one day his differences would make him stronger and everything would make sense. He'd spent his whole life waiting for this day, and now that it was here, he wished he could go back.

"Harry, look at me. Listen to me," Sefu put his hand under Harry's chin and made him look at him. "You are special. You have blessed the Clan by being a part of it, and once you come into your Inheritance today after evaluation, you will understand everything. You were made to be one of us, Khaldun just brought you here. We love you, and you're much more than you think." Hearing those words, Harry smiled. He'd grown up hearing that, too, and that was one thing he never got tired of hearing.

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, if _you_ passed it-"

"Harry!"

"Kidding, kidding. Kind of."

"Harry!"

Harry was standing outside of the Heart Nest, where all the important ceremonies took place, waiting for his turn to be evaluated with the rest of the eleven year olds. He would be the youngest in this group of potential apprentices, having turned eleven just that day. And boy, was he nervous.

Logically, Harry knew that he'd be able to answer any questions he was asked. He had been in training to become an apprentice Phoenix in the Order since he was just barely six years old, and no one had ever failed the evaluations before. But then again, no one had ever been brought into the Nest from the outside, so he supposed there was a first time for everything.

Harry had always been good at answering questions about theory and history of the Clan and just general knowledge of the Phoenix species. They were very similar to humans and other wizards and witches, as well as other magical creatures. He knew there was the Wizarding world and the human world, or Muggle world. And he knew he was born to human parents but as a Phoenix, brought here to the Nest after his parents died. He was a good fighter and had a good moral base, but the magic is what always got him. He always felt below average. When he tried to use his magic, he felt a surge of power, and then it just died. He could produce low level magic, could move small objects and perform simple rituals, but he couldn't do the things the others could do, like make things erupt in flames, or flood a lake, or grow a plant, or even make a tiny breeze. He couldn't move boulders, or even perform an aging ritual without help.

In fact, it was the aging rituals that always got him. Phoenix birds are immortal, and they keep themselves alive by continuously setting themselves on fire, like their ancestors had ever since ancient Egypt, where they originated. They were then reborn from the ashes. Every year a Phoenix/human hybrid like himself aged, they erupted into flames just before midnight on the night of their birthday. Harry could always distinctly remember the feeling of the fire in his veins, the power rushing to his heart and the energy recreating his body. But right when he felt his magic expand, it felt like that energy was cut off, like it was dimmed down and then given to him secondhand. It was infuriating, and he thought something was wrong with him. Just thinking about it was aggravating him, and he felt like he was going to see red any second-

Just then, his thoughts were interrupted by a rush of children coming towards him from the daycare across from the Heart Nest. Letting go of his anger, Harry smiled and knelt down to embrace the children. He had always been strangely good with children, and had frequently made a point of stopping by the daycare to entertain the children after he was done with his training.

"Hawwy, Hawwy, will you still pway wif us after your eevawuation?" The _bennu_ asked, hugging any part of Harry they could reach. Harry laughed and nodded.

"Of course I will! Will you still come see me when you become big Phoenixes and I get old and wrinkled?" The children responded with a chorus of yeses and Harry hugged them all. He knew what was coming, as the same request always did.

"Hawwy, will you sing for us? Pweaseeee?" The children begged. Harry could never refuse the little Phoenixes, and nodded as they clapped and cheered.

"What song should I sing for my little _bennus_?" He asked, using the endearing term for Phoenix that the Clan had taken to calling the children. They all shouted out names of songs that he had sung for them countless times, when suddenly he got an idea. He didn't know where the words came from, but he opened his mouth and before he knew it, his eyes were closed and words were coming out of his mouth that he had never remembered saying.

_Precious child of the sky,_

_There's no need for you to cry._

_Spread your wings amongst the rye,_

_And through the air you shall fly._

When he had finished, there was silence throughout the Nest. Everyone was frozen in place by the sound of Harry's voice and the words he had sung, and Harry didn't know why. The children, however, were very pleased with this new song, and tackled him with hugs as they played around him, all the while still humming the song. Harry found himself smiling fondly at a small boy who was always quieter than the rest. The boy, whose name he knew to be Akiiki, was watching two girls with braided hair play patty cake. Harry got up and walked over to the boy and picked him up gently to the boy's great surprise.

"Akiiki, why do you never play with the others? They all want you to play with them!" As Harry said this, the girls waved kindly to the boy in Harry's arms before resuming their game. Akiiki turned in Harry's arms and rested his head on Harry's shoulder.

"I don't have fwethers in my hawr," Akiiki whispered quietly. Harry examined the boy's dark hair and found that he wasn't lying, there truly were no feathers. By now, girls and boys around his age, three or four, should have a couple of feathers similar to the ones that grew on their wings when they were older and became apprentices. Harry understood that Akiiki was feeling different, and despite what he was told, it was holding him back.

"Then you know what? You can have one of mine." The boy's eyes went wide and round. When a Phoenix gives one of their feathers to another, it showed great friendship or trust, an unforgettable bond between the two. Sefu had given a feather to Ramla when they had gotten married, and vice versa, and they wore two feathers each around their necks, one on their charm and one on a separate necklace.

Tears began to leak out of the small boy's eyes as Harry set him down and began to search through his hair for a good feather. Harry himself only had ten feathers in his hair, but he didn't mind giving one to Akiiki. One of the daycare minders had given him a piece of twine and after he gently pulled the feather out, he tied it to the twine before tying the handmade necklace around Akiiki's neck. He grabbed Akiiki close and whispered to him so that no one else would hear.

"They're probably taking longer to show because they're going to be so much more beautiful than the rest, Akiiki. You are special, and have blessed the Clan by being a part of it. This feather means we'll be friends forever, okay? Don't forget that." Letting go of Akiiki, who was now smiling and giggling, he watched as the boy ran to go play with the others, who looked at his feather in awe. Harry, seeing the others go into the Heart Nest, waved to the children and took off after the others. He winked at Akiiki, who held his feather clenched tight in his fist. The boy had winked back.

Harry thought that when he was waiting in line to be evaluated he would be the most nervous, but after his interaction with the children, he was much calmer. He was meant to be a part of this Clan, and he knew it. He loved this life, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

When one of the evaluators came out and called for Harry Potter, Harry forgot that was his name. His feet seemed to move of their own accord as they walked him to the door, but he shook the doubt out of his head once again, straightened his shoulders, and walked into the room with more confidence than he thought possible.

He was standing in the center of the Ritual den, where they typically performed Clan-wide rituals. Along the wall were nine evaluators that he recognized as being mentors to other apprentices who had previously just graduated into full Phoenixes, as well as the Leader, Khaldun. Smiling, he greeted the evaluators and they gestured for him to sit.

"Name?" One of the evaluators asked softly.

"Harry James Potter, adopted son of Sefu and Ramla Efervous," Harry said in the same tone.

"Okay, Harry, we're going to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?"

"Uh, of course, that's perfectly fine," Harry responded, a little confused. The evaluator who was speaking to him stood up and moved towards him, coming to stand directly in front of him and blocking his view of the other evaluators. Harry gulped.

"Please describe the Ancient Order of the Phoenix and its purpose." Oh, that was easy! Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Talking about his extended family was one of his strong points, and for some reason, he felt strangely motivated to convince the evaluators of something, but he wasn't quite sure what. Maybe that he was worthy of being an apprentice?

"The Ancient Order of the Phoenix was founded by Ziz Orbzi, the first man-Phoenix hybrid in known existence. He fused the magical cores of humans that were pure of heart and Phoenixes to create an Order of hand-selected hybrids with the powers and hearts of the Phoenixes but the form of humans. Phoenix birds are beings made of pure light, innocence, and are unaffected by corruption, lies, and hatred. Being so, Ziz took it upon himself to create the Order of the Phoenix to uphold the balance of dark and light in the world. The Phoenixes have protected the innocent and the balance of life on planet Earth for thousands of years, and Ziz led the Order for the majority of that time. However, he knew that people would threaten his balance and his position, so he hid the Order away from both the Human and Wizarding worlds. Many believe it to be a myth. However, members of the Order have freely roamed both worlds under strict laws of secrecy. About two hundred years ago, Ziz departed for the sacred city of Heliopolis to burn for the last time and not to rise again. The Order continues to hunt for the Phoenix that rose from his family with enough power to be the Heir, the Distant One." Harry wiped a hand across his brow as the first evaluator nodded and turned to walk back to the table. The second stood and addressed him much like the previous.

"Tell me everything you feel important about Phoenix life." Again, Harry felt a strange tug on his mind, like he was being pulled forward into the answer he was giving, like he was exploding with information.

"Well, Phoenixes truly are a half and half of humans and Phoenix birds. They age much like Phoenixes; on the night of their birthday the Phoenix ignites and burns away his or her old body before remerging with a new one that is a replica of the old one, which ages just like a normal human's body, with the exception of eternally youthful appearance. Their bodies are most similar to that of the human, with legs and arms and torsos and the like, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference if they were dressed in regular clothing. They have the wings of a Phoenix bird that fold tightly against the spine and sink into the skin for a normal looking back. The chest of a fully initiated Phoenix is covered in the tattoos of their magical signature and a circle with a dot on the center of the forehead. The Royalty of the Nest has full body tattoos, and you can differentiate between age and class by the symbol on the forehead. Phoenixes are, on average, about four hundred percent more physically able than your average human, able to work stronger, faster, and longer than their normal counterparts. When injured slightly, they heal like normal humans, but when injured gravely, they must go through a burning. If they do not burn before the injury takes their life, they cannot be revived. Uhm…yeah, that seems about all. Oh wait!" Harry called out as the evaluator turned around to walk back to the table. He wasn't sure why he wanted the evaluator to wait until his eyes met the other's, and suddenly, he was speaking. "Um…when a Phoenix falls in love, it's forever. They only meet one love in their lives. The rejection of that love can cause the Phoenix to die if it breaks their spirit beyond repair. I feel like that's important." Taking this into consideration, the evaluator smiled before wiping his face clear of emotion and returning to the table. Harry smiled too.

The evaluation continued much like this, with questions of Order history and the like before he had answered all the evaluators questions. Only Khaldun was left. Smiling at Harry, Khaldun stood up and walked over to Harry. Harry barely resisted rolling his eyes; this was all seeming very over dramatic to him.

"Harry, I am going to ask you a few questions. First, why am I the Leader of the Clan?" Khaldun asked, sitting down on a chair that he had summoned from the corner of the room. Harry thought for barely a second before responding.

"You were Ziz's best friend."

"Yes, yes. But why did Ziz die before me? I ask you this question, this one question that no one has ever been able to answer. No one knows why Ziz left, no one but me. Can you tell me why?" Harry was truly confused. Ever since he had walked into the evaluation room, he had been feeling strange, like everyone knew something he didn't. He'd admit, the questions were more difficult than he thought they would be, but he felt like he was being asked different questions than everyone else. He was sure no one had ever been asked this, but as Harry looked into Khaldun's eyes, the answer came to him like it had before.

"He flew away to Heliopolis because he loved you and you did not return it. It broke his spirit and he was dying." Harry gasped, he hadn't even known he was saying that. He tried to stammer out an apology, but all of a sudden, he couldn't control anything. Not his body, not his mouth, nothing. He thought he heard Khaldun ask the evaluators to leave, but Harry was collapsing from the chair and onto the ground, tears streaming down his face and pain engulfing his entire body. He felt the fire from before, the fire from his burning, the fire that always died inside him flare to life once again, and ignite his magic. Hands picked up his body and rushed him out of the evaluation room and into the Ritual room, where the entire Clan was gathered. He felt a rush of shame as the Clan saw him in this state, uncontrollably sobbing. Khaldun quickly laid him down in the center of the room, and sat at the head of the circle. A rush of memories flooded his mind, of the last time he had done this, when he was a year old. He remembered being found on the doorstep, remembered being told his real parents were killed in a magical accident, remembered all those times when Sefu and Ramla had told him that he would know everything on evaluation day.

Something, some flood gate inside Harry ripped to shreds and Harry screamed while his magic ran rampant through his body, lighting his tattoos a rich golden color that blinded everyone including himself. The charm around his neck, which held a bit of his inner fire encased in the ice that was his self-control combined with his Phoenix self and engorged the flame as Harry's true magic, his true power exploded out of him in waves, notes of a song trickling out of his soul. He was going through his burning. And he saw everything.

He watched as Voldemort killed his parents. He turned to kill him, and failed. He saw Voldemort crumble and fall. He saw a giant of a man kiss him on the forehead, listened to two stern-looking people talk about his future at the Dursley's, saw himself on the doorstep. He watched as Ramla found him and tears of joy crawled over her cheeks. He saw the ritual that revealed his Phoenix nature and unlocked his magic. He saw himself being crowned Heir. Heir to Ziz, the great creator of the Order, the one who protected the balance and the innocent and the young. And suddenly, everything made sense.

His magic was bound by the Clan during his burnings to keep him from accidentally destroying cities and creating wars and such. That was why he always felt his magic being trapped! He was brought up as any other child by the Clan so he would have a good moral base and a good heart like everyone else. He was good with children and people because he lived to protect and serve them. He was truly a Phoenix, and he truly belonged here.

When Harry came back to himself, he was surrounded by hundreds of happy shouts, faces, and open arms. They all fell silent as they waited for their Heir to say something, _anything_-

"So, did I pass the evaluation?"

He did.

Harry had joyously celebrated with the Clan through the night after he had awoken from his burning, and it was dawn now. The other children that had become apprentices had already gone through their initiation ceremony, and it was now Harry's turn. The Clan had gathered around, and Harry was kneeling in the center of them all once again, waiting for Khaldun. Finally, the Leader showed himself next to Harry and placed his hands on his head, thumbs pushing the center of Harry's forehead. The crowd quieted.

"Harry James Potter, you have brought us much joy as a _bennu_ and a youth in the Clan, and we have faith in you that will never die. You will uphold Ziz's name, as you were born to do. You will protect the balance well, and you will follow the Code: stand up for those who cannot stand for themselves! In Ziz's name, we honor you with your Inheritence, your wings!" Khaldun's magic flowed into Harry's body, unbinding the blocks and walls put there to protect him and everyone else. Harry felt his tattoos heat up once again, flaring in response to his magic. His forehead burned something fierce, and Harry struggled to stay still. His back also burned, which he expected, but he nearly lost focus when he felt the fire coat his legs and burn them like his forehead, moving to his arms as well. His whole being was alight with warmth, and Harry laughed like he never had before. He felt free and light, whole and pure. Opening his eyes, he saw with shock as his tattoos extended to his whole body, similar to Khaldun's. Looking to the man, he was smiling and holding a mirror, which revealed not the empty circle on his forehead like he was expecting, but a five pointed star which was glowing and pulsating with his heartbeat, marking him as Heir. Finally, Harry screamed in joy when he felt his powerful wings behind him. Letting instinct take over, he crouched low and flung himself up into the air and into his first flight.

Harry soared above the Clan, joined soon by the other newly winged apprentices. They flew in perfect v formation about the Nest, hooting and hollering in joy and slapping high fives. Harry spared a look at his new wings and broke into a huge grin. They were coated in his feathers, the golden-russet red flowing feathers he had always admired in his hair. Against the dawn sky, he looked like a true Phoenix.

As the sun almost fully pulled itself above the horizon, Harry looped into a steep dive with the others at his back, practically free falling back towards the earth with abandon. The others peeled off as they got too close for comfort, but Harry dove on, and at the last possible second, he pulled up and landed soundly on the ground, out of breath from the excitement.

Sefu and Ramla ran up to Harry and grabbed him in a tight embrace before ruffling his hair and feathers. Harry was relating the evaluation to them and asking questions when he felt a tug on the back of his shirt. Turning around, he saw Akiiki, gripping Harry's feather tightly and smiling. Akiiki beckoned for Harry to crouch down, and he whispered in his ear quietly.

"Your magic was taking so long to come out because it was really beautiful magic," the boy whispered, grinning. Harry laughed aloud and bent down to put Akiiki on his shoulders, dancing the day away in celebration.

_is this making sense? sorry, i know this part is boring. the intro always is xD hopefully we'll pick up as we go along._


	3. Chapter 3

There was an undeniable feeling of warmth flowing into Harry, carefully wrapping him deeply into the blissful cocoon of sleep. Harry smiled at the warm pastel colors that flooded his mind, making his brain feel cozy and warm, confident that his natural mental shields would protect him while he slept, alerting him if anything bad was going on outside his own unconsciousness. Harry floated on a sea of sweet dreams, feeling the joy deep within his being reflect in his mind and in his own aura. His body felt like a campfire, radiating delicious heat and Harry reveled in the relaxation.

That is, until he fell out of his tree.

Groaning and opening his eyes for the first time, he took a look at the bleeding morning sky. He didn't quite remember why he was previously sleeping in a tree or how he got up there, but as he wiped a tattooed hand across his eyes, he figured he had been sleepwalking. Wait, _tattooed_ hand? Startled, Harry traced the unusual golden markings with his eyes up to his shoulder, where they joined in an intricate swirling pattern across his chest. Getting up and jogging to the nearest source of water, which happened to be a lake, in the middle of this unfamiliar territory, he tossed his tank top off to get a good look at his reflection.

Golden threads of beautiful tattoos danced in a vine-like way across his chest, circling around and forming gorgeous weaves and waves across his lean body. Above his heart, there was a beautiful image of a Phoenix bird rising from the flames that seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat, the golden color darkening to an amber and back again. There were astonishingly intricate swirls decorating his collar bone, before racing up into a thin lace-like collar around the base of his neck. The golden threads extended up the pale column of his neck, wrapping around his ears and framing his eyes in tattooed feathers. In the center of his forehead was a star, a beautifully carved star that, when Harry looked at, seemed to flare to life in a golden light before going back to normal. Turning around, he saw the tattoos covered his arms and back, curling around the place he knew his new wings to be, spiraling across his shoulder blades.

Harry remembered everything now, how yesterday he found out who the Heir was. His shock at his discovery that it was him, the odd one out, the one who was weaker than the rest. His magic had been bound to protect him, and had been unbound for his Inheritance ceremony. He remembered his beautiful wings, the russet red and gold like no other. He had flown yesterday, had celebrated his homecoming. It was the best day of his life. And after the dancing, the feasting, the pure feelings of love, he had taken flight once again, and rested in the trees. He must have fallen asleep here, and he had better get back to the Nest before Ramla had a breakdown.

Smirking to himself in a way that was distinctly Sefu, Harry took a deep breath and unfurled his wings from his back. They revealed themselves in a rush of soft feathers and lean muscle, powerful in a subtle way. He had at least a fourteen foot wingspan! Thinking joyous thoughts, he hummed to himself the Song of the Heir, and tried to look for some sign of recognition that could point him towards the Nest. As he thought this, a tiny flame appeared in front of his face. Harry, curious, reached towards it with an open palm and jumped back in shock when the flame erupted into a ball of fire. In his shock, the fire extinguished and Harry took a breath and checked to make sure his eyebrows were still there. _Was that my magic?_ Harry thought. _Whoa, this is awesome!_

Focusing his energy, he felt the ever-present charm around his neck heat up. Looking down at it and letting go of his concentration, he was shocked to see that the small flame stayed burning in the open instead of being covered with the ice that was normally present. Chuckling in his giddiness, Harry decided to take off before he accidentally burned down the whole forest. He checked his airspace and frowned when there were many more trees than before. Looking back at the tree he slept in, he was shocked to see that the path he had taken to get across the clearing to the lake was filled with fully grown, healthy trees in every place he had stepped. Startled, he realized that his magic was running rampant about the woods, creating plants that seemed to flourish before his eyes. Water was flowing into the slightly shallow lake to restore its purity. Harry, now more alert, could feel his magic almost _dancing_ with the breeze, playing with his hair that gently caressed his back-

Wait, WHAT?

Harry could've sworn that his hair had been shorter just yesterday, and just a moment ago! Spinning around, Harry saw that his hair had grown at a ridiculous rate, and was now just past his rump! He groaned, frustrated, and quickly gasped in response to the angry ring of fire that flared around him but simply refused to burn anything. _Just when I thought the confusing part was over, _Harry thought. Wanting to get out of there before he caused a natural disaster, Harry leapt up into the air and relished the upheaval of his glorious wings as he soared into the sky.

INSERTLINEHERE

Soaring up above the forest he knew as home was something Harry was sure he would never tire of. It was breathtaking up here, and he felt like the whole of the planet was centered in this Unplottable sanctuary. Spotting a lone owl flying over the forest like he was, Harry angled downward and leveled with him. The owl looked shocked at first, but whistled a tune in greeting.

"_Hullooooo, yooooung flyer!"_ Harry cocked his head in surprise. He could understand the bird! Sure, he had whistled at birds before, but he'd never _spoken_ with one.

"_Hi there! I mean noooo harm, I am simply taking a mooooorning flight," _Harry sung back, beating his wings as he caught sight of the clearing where the Nest was housed. Looking back at the owl, he noticed that she was a beautiful snowy breed and obviously very young. _"What are yoooou dooooing up in the moooorning light?"_

"_Toooo hungry tooo sleep,"_ she replied, beating her soft wings in time with Harry. Harry thought for a second, before smiling.

"_Why dooon't yooou coooome tooo my nest and I will feed yooou?"_ Harry offered, nodding his head in the general direction of the Nest. The owl seemed to think for a second before nodding pleasantly and soaring closer to the warm protection that Harry offered. Harry laughed and began to sing a tune that came to mind, noticing when she joined in.

_Soaring above the troubled world,_

_I escape the binds of the ground._

_Looking to the heavens in thought,_

_I sing my joy to the skies aloud._

The pair drew out many small songbirds from the tree tops that came to join in the song before veering off to join family and friends in beginning the new day. He noticed his flight partner look on sadly, and felt a wave of empathy towards the small bird. Focusing on his aura, he radiated happiness and joy, the feelings of being a part of something bigger than yourself. The curious owl turned her head and her eyes sparkled at his efforts, singing a happy tune and pouring on the speed, to which Harry laughed and challenged. Together, they soared to the Nest.

INSERTLINEHERE

Quietly sneaking into his den, Harry moved on near silent feet so as not to wake Sefu and Ramla. Ducking so the owl lying comically on his head wouldn't get shoved off, he moved into the kitchen and opened the cupboard. Fetching a few jars, he moved to the counter. Checking both ways for peeping eyes, he pulled out a brick in the backsplash that revealed a hollow space that he often used for hiding sweets when he had been younger. Now, he placed the beautiful yet tired owl in the roomy space to rest as he mixed a few things from the jars in a small bowl retrieved from the drawer. Passing the mixture to the owl who was desperately trying to stay awake, he coaxed her into eating it despite the distinct lack of dead mice that made her usual diet.

Petting the creature behind the neck gently, Harry quietly chirped to her as they talked about mundane things like the weather and the coming fall.

"_What is yooour name, beautiful oooone?_" He asked after quite some time.

"_Hedwig, master. And your name?"_ Harry started at the word master, confused.

"_Harry, Harry Potter. I was adopted, but I kept my last name. And I'm not your master!"_

"_But I am indebted to you for saving my life, Harry Potter. I have no way to repay you other than working for you," _Hedwig intoned quietly, butting her head affectionately against Harry's hand.

"_You owe me nothing at all. But I am worried about you finding food, especially as fall approaches. Why don't you live as a guest to the Nest? I'll take care of you,"_ Harry suggested, eyes bright. Hedwig seemed to think about this before chirping an affirmative, to which Harry squeaked happily and gathered the owl in his arms.

This was the sight Sefu and Ramla were greeted with as they woke up to get breakfast.

INSERTLINEHERE

After explaining the situation to his sleepy guardians, who agreed to allow him to watch after the owl, Harry ran outside to enjoy the day. He and Hedwig spent much of it flying around the Nest with Harry's various friends, interacting with those members who were interested in Harry's new object of affection (Akiiki in particular found Hedwig to be amazing, and kept his wide, curious eyes on her at all times, to Harry's amusement), and resting in the sun. Harry related his worries about the upcoming Apprentice Draft to Hedwig, who assured Harry that he would be fine and that the mentor who was most adept at training him would be assigned to him. Harry wasn't surprised that she knew much about the Order, or the Clan as most birds called it. Phoenix warriors had often protected and provided shelter for all types of various winged creatures, and word travelled quickly about the kind hybrids.

Engrossed in bonding with his newfound friend, Harry didn't notice as Khaldun approached him in almost a cautious state. When the Leader of the Clan cleared his throat, Harry jumped three feet in the air with shock and turned around with wild eyes. Relieved at seeing Khaldun and not a ninja assassin armed with a katana, Harry took a deep breath.

"Harry," Khaldun said gently as he placed a hand on his shoulder, "we must speak privately about your future. I would be honored to play host to your newest friend here as well." Smiling, Khaldun retreated back to his den. Glancing at Hedwig with nervous eyes, Harry followed with Hedwig rested on his shoulder.

INSERTLINEHERE

"My, my, she is beautiful, Harry," Khaldun said, reaching a gentle hand out to caress Hedwig. "Where did you find her?"

"Oh, I was out flying this morning and caught up to her. She had an empty hunt these past few days, so I offered to take her home and feed her. She agreed." Harry laughed as Hedwig nestled his neck affectionately. He didn't notice the curious look on Khaldun's face.

"And how exactly did you know that, Harry?" Harry looked up and shrugged.

"We chatted for a while and it came up." Khaldun laughed outright and it was Harry's turn to be curious. "Is something wrong, Khaldun?" Khaldun's grey eyes reflected warmth and pride as he smiled.

"You can speak with birds, Harry." Harry nodded. "No one else in Phoenix history has been able to do so, except one. Can you guess who that is?" Harry suddenly understood and facepalmed.

"Ziz, right? I figured it was a Phoenix thing." Hedwig chirped happily, and Harry giggled. Khaldun stood up and beckoned for Harry to come over. He handed the boy a small bird perch that was topped with strings so that Harry could tie it anywhere. Harry gratefully hugged the Leader.

"Now, Harry, what do you know of the Wizarding world?"

INSERTLINEHERE

Two hours later, Harry's head was brimming with information about the Dark Days in the Wizarding world, the years of Voldemort's rampage. He was told of his previous life as Tom Marvolo Riddle, at a school called Hogwarts and his issues with a man named Albus Dumbledore, who was currently the headmaster of the school. Harry felt dizzy with the amount of history he had absorbed.

"On Halloween night about ten years ago, Voldemort attacked Godric's Hollow, the place where your family lived." Harry froze, tensing up. Ramla had always told him that his parents had died in a magical accident, and it wasn't like his parents' death was news to him, but it was hard to hear. "Your father defended your family bravely from Voldemort and his followers. But the force of their evil was so passionate that he was overpowered. Your mother was holding you when he came upstairs. She begged for your life to be spared, protected your with her life. But his cruelty overpowered his sense of mercy and after pointing his wand at your mother and ending her life, he pointed it at you. Something happened as the curse hit your core, and it backfired. The curse rebounded and fired back at him, and Voldemort disappeared. Some think he is truly dead. But the Clan is of the opinion that he was sapped of power but is waiting in the wings."

As Harry absorbed this round of information, he felt his heart break and mend. His father and mother, slain by the greatest evil the Wizarding world had ever seen. _But they died for me_, Harry thought. _They died for me, and now I am going to make them proud, wherever they may be._

"What do you need me to do?" Harry asked. Khaldun looked upon him with the pride from before, and Harry could feel his soul and heart beating with determination to make this right, to find the balance he had sworn to restore.

"You must return to the Wizarding world. When Dumbledore placed you on the doorstep of the Dursleys, your only remaining relatives, he wasn't aware that we had come in after and taken you off again. All he knows, all the rest of the world knows is that you disappeared that day. They could have found you with the Trace when you began using magic, as the Ministry of Magic that runs the Wizarding world places a spell on magical children to track their magic, but after we removed the initial block from your core that hid your Phoenix traits, the spell, and all others placed on you, was broken. They think you're dead, Harry. You must return to them and fight for them. You must go to Hogwarts and reset the balance." Harry could think of only one thing to say to that.

"Well, I'm going to need a bath, aren't I?"

Khaldun laughed and hugged him. "That sounds like a plan, little one."

_filler chapter! yay! not. sorry guys, had to introduce hedwig! i love her! anyway, another chapter should be going up today, so i hope that makes up for it. how are you guys feeling this story? good? bad? boring? suggestions? please comment and review!_


	4. Chapter 4

Feeling the soft touch of her master, Hedwig hooted in sleepy happiness. She sensed something different about him, this boy, something that set him apart from other Phoenix warriors she had met. There was a sweet aura about him that just radiated never-ending curiosity, excitement, and love. Hedwig didn't think she'd ever met someone so capable of love before in her short life. Her master, or Harry as he had requested on many occasions, was just a fledgling, a practical newborn to this world, but he was so strong underneath his naïve façade. She could tell that Harry knew quite a bit more of what was going on then he let on, and she felt an odd sense of pride at this. She felt almost as if he was her child, someone she needed to protect. And if Hedwig had learned one thing from many nights of empty and near-hit hunting, it was to go with your instinct immediately, no matter what, because it was probably right.

Harry sat cross-legged in the wheat field several miles from the Nest. His beautiful companion was sprawled out on his lap, hooting quietly as he pet her. The tall stalks of fresh, fine wheat swayed gently with the breeze, bending towards the setting sun and springing back again. He pondered the dancing wheat for a while, and was glad that he could enjoy it without worrying about his magic destroying it all.

After speaking with Khaldun, Harry had requested his magic be bound once more, as it was too much for him to handle right now. Khaldun had granted his wish privately, and Harry felt a sense of being locked up inside himself. It was uncomfortable, and Harry hadn't noticed until he lived without it. But he was willing to do it to keep others safe. The Leader had told him that Harry was to tell no one what they had discussed until after the Apprentice Draft was over, so as to cause less chaos. Harry thought that was a good plan, as he had more than enough attention already.

Touching his new chain as he thought, Harry moved Hedwig to his chest as he lay down on his back, looking at the coming stars. His new charm was simply his old one reformed with the coming of his magic. He recalled the scene from earlier that day.

"_I need my magic bound again. This morning I practically created a new forest and then almost burned it down, filled a lake, caused some major issues with the wind, and my hair grew a foot! I have no clue how these things happened, and I don't want my magic to do things without my permission!" Harry stated, almost panicking. Khaldun laughed and sat him down as Harry started at the sudden wind that picked up._

"_Harry, look at me." He did, albeit anxiously. "Calm down. Random accidental magic is common in apprentices who have just risen. In your case, these things are completely justified! Not only have you inherited your vastly complex magical power, aura, and signature, you have also entered the beginning stages of your transformation into the Heir this Clan needs. Tell me, Harry, what is your job?" Khaldun asked, not even half as worked up as Harry._

_"To protect the balance," Harry responded with immediately. That has been drilled into his head since birth._

_"Exactly! And in order to do your job, you have to alter the world around you to balance it. Light to dark, fire to ice, wind to earth, good to bad, all of these things are on carefully perched scales that waver often. It is our duty to tip the scales back into equality. You and your magic will constantly be making adjustments to your environment as your subconsciousness deems appropriate. It's built into your DNA! That you are even more finely tuned into the needs of the unbalanced shows signs that you are not only growing as a person, but magically and intellectually as well!" Harry was in shock. He had caused those things to happen because he was keeping the balance? Those things he did…they were good?_

_"…Really?" Harry asked, unable to think of much else in his shock and excitement that he had done something right._

_"Yes, really! Although, that does not account for your sudden hair length…" Khaldun said, seemingly pondering the mystery. "As for binding your magic, I'm afraid I cannot do what I have done before. Now that your magic has settled into your body as it naturally should have been in the first place, and you have used it as intensely as you say, it would be more than painful to rebind it. It also makes you vulnerable, Harry." His face taking on a more serious set, Khaldun faced Harry with a sad shine to his eye. "You must understand, my child. The entire world believes you to be dead, just as they believe Voldemort was vanquished on the night your parents died. Once you re-enter the Wizarding world, there will be many people with questions and they won't be very nice. Just by surviving the Killing Curse, you made a lot of enemies out of Voldemort's followers. There will undoubtably be attempts on your life. You must be prepared. I cannot bind your magic, as doing so would only incapacitate you." Harry put on a brave face as he realized Khaldun was speaking the truth, but he was nervous on the inside, increasingly so. He was eleven, and up until a few days ago, a hopeless case! How was he supposed to challenge Voldemort's followers? Just then, Harry caught on to something Khaldun had let slip._

_"Wait, so Voldemort isn't dead?" Surprised, Khaldun's head came up and he sputtered._

_"Well, the Wizarding world is under the impression he is, but the Clan doesn't know for sure. We have many suspicions about the Dark Lord, and many of them are unconfirmed. But we do not believe him to be dead, no." Harry shuddered, and Khaldun seemed to notice. "But, fortunately, there is something I can do for you to help you control your magic."_

Harry clutched the charm tighter in his hand. Instead of the familiar depiction of the living fire encased in ice, there was a smooth onyx stone in the shape of a teardrop. Khaldun had sat with him for hours while Harry had looked inside himself and rebuilt his self control over his now extensive magic. He was shocked as he observed his core, which had gone from a tiny flickering flame into an inferno, a blaze that seemed to consume his whole body. Carefully, he moved his mind and weaved a pattern of control over the magic, just like he had done when he had been small and first got his charm and was instructed on how to encase it in the ice. After he was done, he had a whole new charm, a dark black that seemed to glow sightly from within.

Harry had to admit, with his magic bound by his own power, he could remove it when he needed it and use his magic as needed, before he calmed down and the threads of control would lock back over the flame. It was far better than the thought of being surrounded and unable to use more magic than a five year old. _Although_, he thought,_ I suppose that's why I learned to defend myself using other means._

Obviously, one would think that being protectors of light and balance and goodness, the Phoenixes would denounce fighting. But that was no where near the case. Harry knew that you had to fight for what you believed in in this world, and that you had to have the clearness of mind to determine what was worth fighting for and what was just a waste of time and lives. Thinking along these lines, Harry grasped the simple sword that was lying next to him, and playfully threw Hedwig off his lap and into flight, much to the bird's annoyance. She nipped his ear and flew in circles just above him as he took his fighting stance, sword in hand.

Trying to execute the training exercises he had been taught, Harry balanced his weight on his back foot before slashing the sword in front of him, practicing moving backwards as if pushed that way by an unseen enemy. He imagined his foe as focused and quite a bit stronger than him physically. The enemy forced him backwards with thrusting blows that he practically had to jump to dodge. Swiftly, Harry ducked under a swing meant for his thin neck and sidestepped the slash to his left. Using that momentum, he threw his body to the right and behind his shocked attacker, using the hilt of the blade to smash against the head of his assailant, rendering him unconscious. Harry now faced two more attackers, but they seemed to be quicker. One moved in front of him, the other behind, and began to force Harry into a defense he couldn't seem to break from. He noticed with a bit of panic that he could hear the blade as it flew past his ear, the clashing of blades, and the grunting of effort from his opponents. _I have a very good imagination_, Harry thought, as he finally figured out the pair's weakness. Their moves opposed the other. If the one to Harry's front went left, the other moved to the right, seemingly trying to block him in, which meant they were exact opposites. Focusing his attention on the front man, he watched as his feet moved together as he thrust into the spot Harry was seconds earlier, meaning that the one behind him was-

Harry grinned in satisfaction as the one behind him cried out in pain as Harry slashed his blade directly behind him, slicing through the skin on the top of both his feet. Harry followed through with an upwards slash, catching the front man's chin and nose, blood spurting from both places. As the two went down, another beserker guy approached him, and Harry worked there for a while before emerging triumphant. On instinct, Harry looked around the field and was shocked as he saw that the men he took down were boys, and they were all wearing black training uniforms, instead of the brilliant red practice clothes Harry was familiar with. Noticing that something wasn't right, Harry became unusually aware of the lightness of his sword, which he was certain should have felt heavier. Looking down at it, he almost dropped it as he realized that the hand that was holding it wasn't his. It was a pale, fragile looking hand that was clutching the hilt of an unfamiliar sword with a crest on it he wasn't familiar with either. Looking at the blade, his eyes widened in realization as he saw his reflection.

No, the reflection of a handsome, blonde-haired boy with stormy grey eyes.

As soon as he saw the image, it immediately changed. Suddenly his sword felt heavier, his hands were tanner, and he was looking at his own face, into his own emerald eyes behind his own glasses framed by his own long, black, untamable hair. Taking a deep breath, Harry sat himself down in the field as he tried to tell himself that he was just imagining things. He was tired, it had been a long day. Wiping his hand across his brow, Harry noticed that the now numerous feathers in his hair were beginning to glow in the darkness, warming up into a soft golden hue. Touching one, he felt it pulse in time with his heart. He knew that underneath his grimy tank top, the symbol of the Phoenixes would be pulsating in time as well, just like it always did. The stability of this notion helped him calm down. Closing his eyes, he focused on the blood thrumming through his veins, the soft flapping of Hedwig's wings just above him, the rustle of the stalks around him. At peace once again, he held up his blade and sheathed it. Standing up and unfurling his wings, Harry launched himself into the air and into the pleasure of flight.

INSERT LINE HERE

Landing in the center of the slowly winding-down Nest, Harry smiled at the people who waved at him as he made his way across to his family's den. Humming a soft tune, he walked into the kitchen to Ramla making his favorite: edamame and feta tabbouleh salad. It wasn't complex, it was easy to make, and it tasted delicious. With a full stomach and a smile on his face due to Sefu's endless joking, Harry embraced his adoptive family and crawled into his comfortable bed, deciding not to mention a certain blonde.

It was the middle of the night when Harry awoke. He wasn't quite sure as to why, exactly, but then he felt a shiver of fear, and looked up in a mild sort of panic. Was he imagining the shadows rippling with movement? The banging on the roof, was that footsteps?

Impulsively and irrationally, Harry gripped his sword tightly and grasped the onyx stone around his neck, silently getting up and cursing the fact that he only slept in ratty old shorts that barely reached his knees. Moving around corners, he tensed himself for a strike as he jumped out, only to find nothing. Checking briefly to see that Sefu and Ramla were safe and asleep, Harry moved outside into the dark of the night.

Gripping his chest, he felt something tug at his heart, almost pulling him down the path towards the other dens. Thinking it might be a trap of some sort, Harry tried to pull back, but his feet wouldn't obey him. Desperately wanting to call out but knowing he needed to keep quiet before the perpetrators noticed him, he gave in and followed this nearly primal instinct, setting off at a run down the beaten path to the dens of his Clan. The only thing in his mind was to protect, and he could feel the stone at his neck begin to heat up in his steadily growing panic.

Harry recognized the dens of some of the children of the daycare, and this realization spurred him on even more. Were the children in danger? Should he call for help? All thought escaped his mind as he heard quiet sobbing coming from the home he knew to be Akiiki's. Ducking through the doorway, sword in hand, he rushed into the child's room, trying to look as intimidating as possible whilst raising his sword. He was thrown off balance as something small flew at him, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him over, sword scattering across the floor.

As the thing clasped to his chest began to cry, Harry got a glimpse of its - _his __- _face, and clutched the boy to him. Akiiki was sobbing, holding on to Harry as the latter soothed him quietly, rubbing his back and whispering to him. As the sobbing turned to hiccuping, Harry stood up and began to walk slowly across the room, instinct leading him on how to comfort the crying child.

"Shh, Akiiki, shh. It's alright, everything's fine, I'm here. What's the matter, _bennu_? What's troubling you?" Harry asked as the boy rubbed at his eyes with clenched fists.

"I-I-I was so s-sc-scared, Hawwy! The munsters with the b-black wings were c-coming and they h-had Mum, and Da wa-was gone! They t-t-took him! And when I w-w-woke up, I was so scared t-they had me, too! So I grabbeded my fweather and w-wished you would come s-save me!" Akiiki had worked himself up again, and was crying into Harry's chest.

Harry was shocked, to say the least. From what he heard, he figured it was safe to assume that Akiiki had a nightmare, and had awoken in a state of panic, which had in turn woken Harry. The child had used their bond to summon him, and Harry had followed his calling and had come to get him. _Is that even how these things work?_ Harry thought, confused. _Can the bonded share emotions, and call out to each other?_

Focusing once again on anxious boy in his arms, Harry continued to pace across the room, cradling him to his warm body, humming softly to Akiiki to get him to calm down. Eventually, the boy had cried himself to sleep, and appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Harry, however, was weary of leaving Akiiki, and made a snap decision to stay with him through the night in case he woke up again. Settling himself on the bed, still holding the boy on his lap, Harry leant against the headboard, pulled his knees up, and embraced him as he himself drifted off to sleep.

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_**hey, all! sorry for the delay, but school is starting up again, and we all know how that goes. pretty much a filler chapter, so i apologize for that (sadface) but on the bright side, next chapter you can expect to see the Apprentice Draft and maybe a little more if you're all nice! thanks for supporting this story by following it and y'all know this couldn't happen without you.**_

_**lots of love,**_

_**alice!**_


	5. Chapter 5

The scent of pine was heavy in the air, swirling through the golden dawn light. Through the dense Scotland forest, the animals were waking up and stretching into the new day. Their ears perked as they left their cozy homes, hearing the soft, tinkling music of the Phoenix camp as it penatrated the forest for miles around. The melody created a exciting atmosphere. After all, it was the day that the Phoenix fledglings would be competing in the Apprentice Draft. Within the camp, however, the fledglings were just waking up. In the case of Harry Potter, waking up in unfamiliar teritory yet again.

Opening jewel green eyes, Harry's conciousness slowly returned to him and he registered Akiiki resting in his arms, thumb snugly in his mouth. He carefully pulled the youth off of him and stood up, creeping quietly out of the room. _I guess my luck isn't completely horrible, _Harry thought as he managed to escape out of the den unnoticed.

His sleepy steps quickly turning into a light jog, Harry's mind was swirling. He remembered the sheer panic that woke him up last night and drove him to Akiiki's side. Harry wasn't sure that was how these things worked. The feathers were just a symbol of a close relationship as far as he knew, and no one had ever mentioned anything about using them as emergency contact. And besides, only half of the bond was established! He didn't even have one of Akiiki's feathers! It certainly should not have been that strong.

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt something land on his shoulder. Frantically looking, he calmed down when he saw it was just a worried-looking Hedwig.

"_Good morning, Hedwig. You startled me!"_ he greeted, smiling softly as he stroked the beautifully white feathers his friend sported.

_"You're certainly jumpy this morning. I suppose it's because of the Draft?" _Hedwig hooted, talons lighting on her master's outstretched arm. Harry paled completely and nearly howled.

"_I totally forgot! Wait, that means-"_ Harry started, before suddenly sprinting off in the opposite direction, towards the practice field. Hedwig made a indigant sound before taking flight near Harry's head. _"I was supposed to be in flight manuover training at sunrise!" _Berating himself internally, the boy pushed himself faster.

The Apprentice Draft was one of the most celebrated feasts in Phoenix tradition. It was usually held a month after the initation of the new fledglings, so they would have time to become accustomed to Phoenix life. The ceremony was basically a display of power for each of the new Phoenixes. The early morning was dedicated to training the newbies in important battle strategies, flight patterns, and mission handling. The trainees were given the day to practice, and the ceremony was held at night. It was supposed to help the Clan judge how quickly you could learn new movements, how you could apply them to the foundation of training you recieved since birth, and how you would react in a high tension situation where there was little time to plan. At dawn the next day, each fledgling would be assigned a mentor in the Clan, someone to train and guide them until they reached adulthood at the age of sixteen, when they would be full Phoenix warriors.

Frankly, Harry was terrified. Missing even a second of training could cost him greatly, and he would rather die than embarrass himself in front of the Clan. The sun was just minutes over the horizon, but he was worried that his absence would be noted.

Rushing into the training field, he discovered that the fledglings were just beginning to gather along the tree line. Harry motioned for Hedwig to take to the trees while he slipped into the group unnoticed and just in time. Quickly tying his long hair up, he felt his markings flash golden in response to his determination. He would push through the Apprentice Draft. He could do this.

"Alright, fledglings! Listen up! You aren't _bennus_ anymore, and if you want any hope at becoming an apprentice, you have to do well in this training session!" A man Harry recognized as being the Clan battlemaster sayed jovially. "Let's get you up in the air!"

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Reds and oranges of every hue raked across the sky, bidding a silent farewell to the sun. Harry was exhausted to say the least. Training lasted well into the afternoon, followed by individual and group practices. But this was the moment, this was it! Standing together in a perfect V shape were thirteen hopeful fledglings. Harry was at the tip and six others flanked him on both his left and his right. The normally loud and jovial eleven year olds were standing in silence, reviewing their brief training over and over in their heads, focusing on perfection. Harry was trying to keep his breathing even while he did the same.

Without warning, a wave of unease flowed over him and he nearly lost his balance. Harry was reminded of the feeling in the forest, when his magic had tried to balance out the environment around him. He struggled to find the source of his unease, but came up blank. Harry knew something was wrong, but Khaldun was smiling and acting completely normal, so he assumed that the Leader had a handle on it. After all, Harry couldn't just interupt the Ceremony for a _feeling_. Harry tried to brush it off, but it kept nagging at him. By the time he decided to do something about it, Khaldun was already beginning the rites. Pledging to inform him immediately after the Ceremony, Harry focused his mind on the Leader's Address.

"-proud of you all! As I have always informed fledglings, no one has ever done poorly in this Ceremony. Your parents and their parents before them proved themselves on this day many years ago, just as your children and grandchildren will do many years from now." Harry noticed Khaldun's reassuring eyes on his as he talked about parents. "Each and every one of you honor us with your daily service to this Clan, and it is our honor and pleasure to support you in your endeavors today and every day. Now, let the Ceremony begin!" Shouts and applause reached the fledglings' ears and they smiled.

The beat of the drums began and each one assumed their position. Listening intently to the sound of the song, the drums beat out the name of flight sequence and order of the first flight. Harry counted to himself and ordered the commands in his mind. _Launch, Swerving Sails, due east for four beats, Twisting Winds, northwest for ten beats, Howling Lady, south for three beats, Landing. _Silence reigned for ten seconds, and then the unfurling of wings of crimson and gold. Perfectly in-time upstrokes rose the flight unit into the air. Knowing he was to lead the unit, Harry was the first to move into the offensive move of Swerving Sails, twisting high up into the air and quickly gaining speed. The back four corkscrewed immediately forward to where Harry had just been, screeching out a battle cry. The eight fledglings behind him followed him into the air. Enjoying the split second of halted movement, Harry quickly reversed and dived through the air, falling more than flying, wings tight at his back. The four who stayed behind scattered out of the way, falling back into position as the dance was resumed, the first attack executed. _Now, east for four beats! _Counting to the beating of the drum far below, Harry darted east before the second attack, Twisting Winds, began.

The front half of the unit dropped down about twenty feet on the fifth beat, allowing the back half to charge the unseen enemy before they lifted up and weaved between their brothers in a delicately controlled chaos. It was while they were headed northwest that the feeling of unease returned to Harry full force, almost knocking the wind out of him. In a split second, the beating of the drums changed and Harry knew he should have listened to his instincts and stopped the ceremony.

Every person in the Clan, know matter how young, knew the song that was playing now. The Clan was under attack. Thinking quickly, Harry immersed himself in his instincts. The black onyx hanging from his neck burst into flames and without a second thought, he led the unit he was still commanding in a sweep over the Nest. Trying to find the spot of intrusion and catch sight of the enemy, his eyes locked on to the barrier around the dens in the south part of the Nest, where the children lived. There were about twenty people rushing into the Nest, all wearing billowing black cloaks that looked a bit like-

Black wings.

_"I-I-I was so s-sc-scared, Hawwy! The munsters with the b-black wings were c-coming and they h-had Mum, and Da wa-was gone! They t-t-took him! And when I w-w-woke up, I was so scared t-they had me, too! So I grabbeded my fweather and w-wished you would come s-save me!" _

Harry suddenly knew exactly what was going on. Twisting around to face the panicked fledglings, he quickly took control.

"They are entering through the south! Left wing, head to the Heart Nest to protect the people at the Ceremony and recieve futher instruction! Right wing, follow me! They've already begun taking prisoners! Move!" Harry hollered. The fledglings on the left departed immediately, someone taking command of the detail. Harry dove for the ground, followed by his determined unit while shouting out a vicious battle cry.

Immediately after touching down, Harry's wings were folded at his back and he was charging at two black-cloaked intruders who were aiming to grab hold of a woman and her child. His hands erupted with flame and he shot it quickly at the pair, disabling them long enough for the woman to procure a sword from her side and quickly behead them, covering her daughter's eyes and racing towards the Heart Nest. Harry felt himself drown in instinct, moving faster than he thought possible. Ducking, he turned on his heel to light up another attacker who tried to catch him from behind. Harry felt the sting of a blade at his side and he cried out, quickly turning to try to find his assailant but finding no one. Taking stock of the current situation, Harry watched as the black-cloaks pulled out sticks and aimed them at Phoenix soldiers and fire out bursts of light that pushed them backwards, cut them, disarmed them, all sorts of things. _Wizards_, he thought. Eyes scanning the fight, green orbs widened when they saw a woman being magically bound, her mate charging after her but leaving their son unguarded.

Akiiki.

Harry's eyes went from green to gold in a second, his marks igniting with a golden fire that was completely blinding. Raising his arms above his head, Harry emitted a burst of wild magic that brought the wizards to their knees, arms protecting their heads. A high pitched scream reverberated throughout the Nest and fire surrounded the intruders, drawing them together in a circle, back to back. They tried to hex and curse their way out of the cage of flame, but their magic was rendered completely useless. Harry, still burning with divine light, approached them.

"Why have you come?" He asked in a voice full of authority and raw power. The wizards cowarded, still trying in vain to escape. "ANSWER ME!"

"W-we are s-searching for someone! For our Lord!" One of them shouted out, pleading. "Please, let us go!"

"For whom are you searching?" Harry asked once again, hand twisting to increase the force of the fire. Panic ran through the group and several voices answered.

"For the Boy-Who-Lived!"

"The Dark Lord has returned! We search for Harry Potter!"

"Harry Potter!"

"You're in luck." Harry said calmly. The wizards looked at each other in shock before looking back at him.

"Do you know where he is?" One of them said, looking at him with desperation.

"Yes."

"The Dark Lord will reward you beyond your wildest dreams if you tell us where he is! He will gladly take you into his ranks and you can join him in his new empire! He will conquer the Wizarding World! You just need to tell us where Harry Potter is!" The wizards shouted, looking gleeful despite their imprisonment.

"You're looking at him." Harry smiled, watching the wizards go into shock before renewing their efforts to escape. He again raised his hand and quickly twisted, watching the flames erupt and burst into an inferno that swallowed the wizards, screams and all. Light exploded outward, and Harry was reminded of a supernova before he collapsed and saw nothing but the black.

_**hey guys!**_

_***silence***_

_**it's been too long, i know, i'm sorry! i'm really trying here! but at least i managed this much for today! please forgive the spelling/grammar errors, my spellcheck is out. i combed through it pretty well, but let me know if you find anything. hopefully you guys will see more of this soon! i don't want to make a promise i can't keep, but maybe next week...? in the meantime, share this with your friends! family! people you hate! and please, review! **_

_**lots of love,**_

_**~alice **_


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